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CENTRAL REGION
QIN RESTAURANT & BAR – Cross Street
The Clan Hotel, Level 4 & 5
Ambience:
Stepping into QIN feels like entering a sophisticated urban sanctuary where East meets West. The restaurant spans two levels of The Clan Hotel, with floor-to-ceiling windows that bathe the space in natural light during the day, transitioning to warm amber glows as evening descends. The interior design marries contemporary minimalism with subtle Asian accents, featuring sleek marble tabletops in shades of charcoal grey veined with gold, echoing the auspicious colors of prosperity. Dark wooden panels line the walls, creating an intimate cocoon effect, while brass fixtures catch and reflect candlelight, casting dancing shadows across the dining room. The atmosphere hums with quiet sophistication, punctuated by the gentle clink of crystal glassware and the low murmur of conversation, making it ideal for celebratory meals that demand both elegance and comfort.
Signature Dishes Analysis:
The modern Asian approach here transforms familiar ingredients through Western techniques. Consider their signature black pepper beef tenderloin, where prime cuts are seared to achieve a deep mahogany crust, the exterior crackling with crushed Sarawak peppercorns that release their sharp, woody heat. Slicing through reveals flesh ranging from ruby-pink at the center to a rosy blush at the edges, the juices running clear with a shimmer of rendered fat. The texture is supremely tender, each fiber yielding effortlessly to the tooth, while the peppercorn coating provides an aggressive crunch that gives way to the butter-soft meat beneath. The accompanying reduction sauce pools around the beef in glossy obsidian rivulets, thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, its umami depth enhanced by shaoxing wine and a whisper of star anise.
Their seafood offerings showcase similar technical precision. The wok-fired lobster arrives in segments, the shell transformed to a brilliant vermillion through high heat cooking, contrasting dramatically against the snow-white meat within. The flesh maintains a springy, almost bouncy texture, characteristic of perfectly cooked crustacean, sweet and briny in equal measure. Tossed in a XO sauce that glints bronze and amber under the lights, each piece carries flecks of dried scallop, shrimp roe, and garlic that have been fried to crispy, savory fragments. The sauce itself is simultaneously silky and grainy, coating the lobster in a complex layer of marine umami punctuated by the sharp bite of chili heat that builds gradually across the palate.
XIAO YA TOU – Duxton Hill
Ambience:
Xiao Ya Tou explodes with personality from the moment you cross its threshold. The space is an exuberant celebration of retro Asian aesthetics, walls adorned in jade green tiles reminiscent of 1960s kopitiam culture, juxtaposed against hot pink neon signs that crackle with electric energy. Vintage rattan furniture in honey-colored tones provides seating, while overhead, paper lanterns in crimson, tangerine, and saffron yellow bob gently in the air-conditioned breeze. The floor is a mosaic of terrazzo in pastel hues, speckled with chips of turquoise and coral that catch the light. Bar shelves display bottles backlit in violet and magenta, creating a technicolor glow that reflects off the polished brass bar top. The playlist oscillates between Cantopop classics and contemporary beats, creating a dining atmosphere that feels simultaneously nostalgic and cutting-edge. This is a space designed for Instagram moments and genuine good times, where the energy is high and inhibitions are low.
Signature Dishes Analysis:
The “pimped-up” Hokkien mee here is a revelation that honors tradition while pushing boundaries. The noodles arrive in a wide, shallow bowl, the flat yellow strands glistening with rendered pork fat that catches the light like liquid gold. Intertwined are thick rice noodles, their pure white surfaces marked with charred spots from the wok, providing visual and textural contrast. The color palette ranges from the deep caramel of the braised pork belly slices to the pale pink of prawns that curl at the edges, their shells leaving behind trails of coral-hued oil. Squid rings contribute pearlescent white rounds with a resilient, almost squeaky bite, while crispy pork lard crackles scatter across the top in amber shards that shatter against the tongue, releasing pure porcine essence.
The sauce base is the color of dark honey, thick and clingy, coating every strand in a savory-sweet embrace that speaks of long-simmered prawn heads and pork bones. Each mouthful offers a symphony of textures: the supple give of the yellow noodles, the slippery glide of the rice noodles, the firm resistance of the prawns, the melting tenderness of the braised pork, all punctuated by those crispy lard bits that provide explosive pops of flavor and crunch. A squeeze of calamansi lime adds bright acidity, cutting through the richness, while sambal on the side provides a fiery red counterpoint, its oil-slicked surface studded with seeds and fragments of dried shrimp.
Their Asian-inspired small plates might include dishes like salted egg yolk chicken skin, where strips of poultry skin have been rendered to crispy wafers in shades of bronze and gold, each piece shattering like glass between the teeth. They’re dusted in a coating that resembles fine sand, golden-orange with the richness of cured egg yolks, creating a savory-sweet crust that dissolves on the tongue while the skin itself maintains its brittle, delicate crunch. Curry leaves fried to a crispy emerald green provide aromatic bursts, while fresh red chilies sliced into thin rings add both visual pop and sharp heat.
ARBORA – Mount Faber
Ambience:
Perched atop Mount Faber, Arbora offers something money cannot always buy: elevation and perspective. The hilltop garden bistro is designed to blur the boundaries between interior and exterior, with retractable glass walls that open to reveal panoramic views of lush tropical greenery punctuated by the steel-blue expanse of the harbor in the distance. The color scheme takes inspiration from nature, with sage green banquettes, natural wood tables in warm oak tones, and terra cotta planters overflowing with ferns whose fronds create dappled shadows across the dining area. White wicker light fixtures hang from exposed wooden beams, their woven patterns creating intricate shadow play as daylight filters through. The atmosphere is breezy and relaxed, with the distant sounds of birdsong mixing with the gentle rustling of leaves, creating a sense of escape from the urban density below.
During Chinese New Year, when the city can feel overwhelming, Arbora provides a sanctuary of calm. The open-air sections allow tropical breezes to circulate, carrying with them the scent of rain on leaves and the faint mineral smell of the sea. At sunset, the sky transforms into a canvas of peach, lavender, and burning orange, these hues reflected in the glassware and creating an almost ethereal glow across white tablecloths.
Signature Dishes Analysis:
The Western classics here benefit from their elevated setting and fresh approach. A perfectly grilled sea bass arrives as the centerpiece of the plate, its skin rendered to a crispy shield in shades of pewter grey marked with char lines of deep brown. The flesh beneath steams gently when cut, revealing layers of opaque white muscle that flake apart in thick, moist segments. The texture is delicate yet firm, each flake maintaining its integrity while yielding easily to the fork. A squeeze releases clear juices that pool around the fish, mixing with a beurre blanc sauce that coats the plate in pale yellow ribbons, thick with emulsified butter that catches the light like satin.
Accompanying vegetables might include baby carrots roasted until their exteriors caramelize to deep orange with almost black edges, their interiors remaining tender and sweet. Purple heritage carrots add visual drama, their deep violet skin giving way to rings of orange and cream when sliced. Broccolini spears, charred to dark green with crispy, almost blackened florets, provide bitter contrast and textural snap. Everything is finished with flakes of sea salt that glisten like tiny crystals and micro herbs in various shades of green, from lime to forest, adding fresh, grassy notes.
For those seeking Asian flavors, the laksa might feature a coconut curry broth that glows sunset orange, its surface slicked with chili oil that forms crimson pools and swirls. Rice noodles lie submerged like pale ribbons, while prawns curve above the liquid, their shells turned coral-pink, meat translucent white tinged with the same pink at the edges. Tofu puffs, golden and spongy, float like little pillows, their surfaces dimpled and ready to soak up the spiced coconut broth. Cockles or blood clams add dark grey-black punctuation, their flesh tender with a mineral, ocean flavor. The texture interplay spans from the slippery noodles to the bouncy prawns to the yielding tofu to the resilient clams, all swimming in a broth that coats the palate in creamy, spicy richness.
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EAST REGION
LITTLE POND – Bedok Mall
Ambience:
Little Pond brings the aesthetic of a contemporary Chinese restaurant to the basement level of Bedok Mall, creating an unexpected oasis of calm within the shopping center bustle. The entrance features a small water feature, hence the name, where koi in shades of white, orange, and calico patterns swim in lazy circles beneath lily pads, their scales catching overhead lights and flashing metallic gold and silver. The dining room is decorated in a modern interpretation of traditional Chinese design, with dark wood screens carved in geometric lattice patterns dividing the space into semi-private sections. Walls are painted in muted shades of taupe and cream, while accent walls feature wallpaper depicting misty mountain landscapes in ink-wash style, all grey gradients and suggested forms.
Lighting is warm and intimate, with globe pendants in frosted white glass hanging at varying heights, creating pools of light over each table. Tableware includes white porcelain with delicate blue patterns around the rims, while lazy susans in the center of larger tables are made of dark rosewood inlaid with mother-of-pearl details that shimmer with iridescent pinks and greens. The atmosphere during Chinese New Year is particularly festive, with additional decorations including paper cuttings in red and gold, and the constant activity of family groups gathering for celebratory meals.
Signature Dishes Analysis:
The Golden Sauerkraut Fish is Little Pond’s calling card, arriving in a wide clay pot that retains heat remarkably well, steam billowing from its surface like a miniature hot spring. The broth is a stunning shade of amber-gold, almost glowing with the richness of chicken stock that has been simmered for hours until it achieves a gelatinous body. Floating atop are slices of fish, likely grass carp or sea bass, their flesh snow-white and tender, each piece maintaining its shape despite the gentle simmer. The texture is silky and delicate, the fish nearly dissolving on the tongue, requiring minimal chewing.
The sauerkraut itself is the star, providing tangy, funky notes that cut through the richness of the broth. These fermented vegetables appear as pale yellow-green ribbons, slightly translucent, with a texture that’s simultaneously crisp and yielding. Each strand carries the complex sourness of fermentation, sharp and mouth-watering, balanced by the subtle sweetness of the broth and the clean taste of the fish. Scattered throughout are goji berries like little crimson jewels, their presence more medicinal than culinary, adding subtle sweetness and visual appeal. Sliced ginger in thin, translucent coins provides warming heat, while scallions contribute fresh green notes and a mild onion flavor.
The Golden Abalone Chicken presents a study in luxury and comfort. Whole chicken pieces, hacked through the bone in traditional Chinese style, are braised until the meat falls away with the slightest pressure. The skin has absorbed the braising liquid, turning from pale cream to a rich mahogany brown, its surface glistening with rendered fat and sauce that forms a lacquered coating. The meat beneath is impossibly tender, with a texture that’s almost custard-like in the thigh and leg portions, while breast meat maintains a firmer, cleaner bite. Colors range from the deep brown of the skin to the tan-grey of dark meat to the pale beige of breast meat.
Abalone pieces nestle among the chicken, their surfaces scored in crosshatch patterns that allow sauce to penetrate. The texture is unique, simultaneously tender and firm with a slight chew that requires attention, each bite releasing oceanic sweetness and the complex umami of the braising liquid. The sauce itself is a master class in Chinese cooking, thick and glossy, the color of dark caramel, clinging to each piece of chicken and abalone in a savory-sweet glaze that speaks of oyster sauce, soy sauce, rice wine, and rock sugar, all reduced to concentrated essence.
BISTRO EMINAMI – Pasir Ris
Ambience:
Located in the E!Hub at Downtown East, Bistro Eminami transports diners to the streets of Hanoi and Saigon through thoughtful design choices that emphasize authenticity without veering into kitsch. The space features exposed brick walls painted in warm ochre tones, reminiscent of French colonial architecture that still dots Vietnamese cities. Vintage propaganda posters in muted reds, yellows, and blues hang in simple frames, their graphics bold and graphic. Seating includes low wooden stools typical of street-side pho stalls, though cushioned for comfort, alongside standard height tables for those preferring traditional dining posture.
The color palette is earthy and warm, dominated by terra cotta, sage green, and cream, with pops of color coming from ceramic bowls in cobalt blue and turquoise that line open shelving. Overhead, rice paper lanterns glow in shades of ivory and pale yellow, their light diffused and gentle. The air carries the distinctive perfume of Vietnamese cuisine: star anise, cinnamon, charred ginger, fresh herbs, and the deep, meaty aroma of simmering bone broth. A small shrine near the entrance features incense burning in a brass holder, the smoke curling upward in delicate grey ribbons, adding to the sensory authenticity.
Signature Dishes Analysis:
The pho here is built on a foundation of leg bone broth that has been simmered for minimum twelve hours, extracting every molecule of collagen, marrow, and flavor from the bones until the liquid achieves a crystalline clarity despite its richness. The broth arrives at the table in a large bowl, its surface shimmering with tiny beads of fat that catch the light like scattered diamonds. The color is a pale golden-brown, deeper than consommé but lighter than beef stock, with remarkable translucency that allows you to see the noodles beneath.
Rice noodles lie submerged, their flat ribbons in pure white, slippery and smooth with a texture that’s simultaneously substantial and delicate, offering gentle resistance before yielding. They’ve been blanched to perfect doneness, maintaining enough firmness to provide satisfying chew without any raw, floury notes. Draped across the noodles are paper-thin slices of raw beef, their color a deep burgundy-red with fine marbling of white fat running through the muscle. As the hot broth is poured tableside, these slices undergo transformation, the edges curling slightly, the color shifting from raw crimson to a cooked rose-pink, then to grey-brown, the fat rendering and adding richness to the already flavorful broth.
The textural play in a bowl of pho is remarkable: slurpy noodles, tender-firm beef, and the molten broth that coats everything in liquid silk. Garnishes arrive on a separate plate, a garden of fresh elements that add complexity. Bean sprouts provide crisp, watery crunch in pure white with occasional purple tinges where they’ve been exposed to light. Thai basil leaves contribute anise-like aromatics, their green darkened almost to purple on some leaves, releasing essential oils when torn. Sawtooth coriander adds serrated green leaves with a soapy, citrus flavor that people either love or hate. Fresh lime wedges, when squeezed, release juice that brightens the broth immediately, cutting through richness and adding sour notes. Bird’s eye chilies, sliced into thin red rounds, provide visual drama and incendiary heat that builds with each bite.
The Hue-style spicy noodles take a different approach, arriving in a bowl where the broth is dyed deep russet-red from chili oil and annatto seeds, the surface slicked with crimson oil that coats the lips upon first sip. Round rice noodles, thicker than pho noodles, have a distinctive bouncy texture, their white surfaces stained pink from the broth. Pork hock, braised until gelatinous, contributes chunks of meat in various shades from pale pink to deep brown, the texture ranging from tender muscle to melting collagen to crispy, caramelized skin. Vietnamese pork sausage adds rounds of rosy-pink studded with white fat, its texture firm and slightly bouncy with a garlicky, sweet flavor profile. The heat is substantial, coating the tongue and building steadily, requiring breaks and sips of iced Vietnamese coffee to temper the flames.
Banh mi here honors tradition while ensuring accessibility. The baguette achieves that perfect Vietnamese texture: shatteringly crispy exterior in golden-brown, giving way to an interior that’s airy and light, almost hollow in places, the crumb structure open and irregular. Sliced lengthwise, the sandwich is layered with components that create harmony through contrast. Pate spreads across the bottom half in a thick layer of grey-brown, its texture smooth as silk, rich and iron-forward in flavor. Mayonnaise on the top half provides creamy white richness. The protein, whether char siu pork, grilled chicken, or tofu, sits in the center, surrounded by pickled vegetables that add crucial acidity and crunch.
Daikon and carrot pickles are cut into thin matchsticks, their colors pale ivory and bright orange respectively, their texture crisp with a slight give, flavor sharp with vinegar sweetness. Fresh cucumber slices add cool, watery crunch in jade green with white flesh. Cilantro springs provide grassy freshness in bright green, while jalapeño slices offer green heat and bitter notes. The textural journey through each bite moves from crispy bread to smooth pate to rich protein to crunchy pickles to fresh herbs, all bound together by creamy mayonnaise and the structural integrity of the bread. Colors span the full spectrum: golden bread, brown pate, white mayo, pink meat, orange and white pickles, green herbs and chilies, creating a sandwich that’s as visually appealing as it is delicious.
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NORTH-EAST REGION
SUKI-YA – Heartland Mall, Hougang
Ambience:
Suki-Ya at Heartland Mall brings the Japanese shabu-shabu experience to the heartlands in a format that emphasizes value and accessibility. The restaurant’s layout is efficient and practical, with booth seating upholstered in dark red vinyl, each booth equipped with its own induction burner set into the table. The color scheme leans heavily on warm tones: red lanterns hanging from the ceiling, dark wood-effect paneling on walls, and menu boards featuring vivid food photography against black backgrounds. Lighting is bright and functional rather than atmospheric, the better to see the quality and color of the ingredients on offer.
The space hums with activity during peak hours, especially during festive periods like Chinese New Year when families gather for celebratory hotpot meals. The air is thick with steam from dozens of bubbling pots, carrying the mingled aromas of different broths: the clean, mineral notes of shabu-shabu broth, the fiery kick of kimchi broth, the earthy depth of mushroom broth. The sound design is pure hotpot chaos: the bubble and simmer of broths, the clatter of chopsticks against bowls, the excited chatter of diners, and the periodic whoosh of the ventilation system working overtime.
Signature Dishes Analysis:
The beauty of Suki-Ya lies in the quality and variety of ingredients available for unlimited consumption. The beef slices arrive on plates, each piece cut so thin it’s nearly translucent, the muscle fibers visible as fine striations running through the meat. Colors range from deep burgundy-red in the center to paler pink at the edges where the meat is thinnest. When held up to light, these slices are almost see-through, and when draped into boiling broth, they cook in mere seconds, the red transforming to grey-brown almost instantly. The texture, when cooked correctly with just a few swishes in the broth, is supremely tender, the meat offering minimal resistance while maintaining a slight chew that’s satisfying. Overcooked by even seconds, the texture turns grainy and tough, making hotpot an exercise in timing and attention.
Pork slices offer similar translucency but in lighter hues, pale pink with fine marbling of white fat running through the lean muscle. The fat, when it hits hot broth, renders partially, creating little puddles of richness that float on the broth’s surface. The cooked texture is slightly firmer than beef, with a sweeter, more delicate flavor that pairs especially well with sesame-based dipping sauces.
Chicken slices, cut from breast meat, appear in pale cream tones tinged with pink, their texture when raw appearing slightly sticky and wet. These require longer cooking than beef or pork, needing to reach opacity throughout before consumption. The cooked texture is firm and clean, less fatty than the red meats, providing a lighter option that doesn’t coat the palate as heavily.
Seafood offerings add variety and luxury. Prawns, served whole with shells on, transform in the broth from grey-blue transparency to bright coral-pink, their tails curling into tight spirals as proteins denature. The flesh, when peeled, is pure white tinged with pink, with that characteristic prawn texture: firm, bouncy, and juicy, each bite releasing sweet oceanic flavor. Squid arrives pre-scored in crosshatch patterns, the flesh milky-white with occasional purple patches where skin remains. When briefly blanched, these pieces curl into tight cylinders, the texture turning tender-firm with a pleasant chewiness that’s satisfying without being rubbery. Overcook them and they transform into rubber erasers, making timing crucial.
Fresh vegetables provide textural and flavor contrast crucial to hotpot balance. Napa cabbage leaves, in pale green-yellow with white ribs, turn sweet and silky when cooked, their texture soft and yielding. Spinach wilts almost immediately, the leaves turning from bright green to dark forest green, their texture becoming slippery and tender. Mushrooms are perhaps the most exciting vegetables here: enoki in long, slender white stems capped with tiny buttons, they turn slightly translucent when cooked, their texture slippery-crunchy. Shiitake, with their brown caps and cream gills, become meaty and substantial, soaking up broth flavor while maintaining a pleasant chew.
The soup bases themselves are crucial to the experience. The shabu-shabu broth starts crystal clear, almost colorless, flavored simply with konbu seaweed. As ingredients are cooked, it gradually transforms, taking on color and flavor from the meats and vegetables, turning from clear to pale amber to deeper gold, accumulating complexity with each passing minute. The kimchi broth arrives already fiery red, flecked with chili flakes that float on the surface like crimson snow, its flavor spicy and tangy with fermented funk that stands up to bold ingredients. The mushroom broth is earthy brown, almost coffee-colored, with a deep umami that enhances everything cooked within it.
Dipping sauces allow for customization, from sesame sauce in beige-brown, thick and nutty, to ponzu in pale yellow, sharp with citrus and soy. The interplay of ingredients, broths, and sauces creates endless combinations, each mouthful potentially unique, making hotpot a deeply personal and interactive dining experience.
WILDSEED CAFE @ THE SUMMERHOUSE – Seletar
Ambience:
Tucked away in the green enclave of Seletar, Wildseed Cafe at The Summerhouse offers a bucolic escape that feels worlds away from Singapore’s urban core. The cafe is housed in a colonial-style black and white bungalow, its architecture characterized by pristine white walls contrasted with black timber beams and window frames. Surrounding the building are manicured gardens where tropical plants flourish in lush profusion: bird of paradise plants with their orange and blue flowers resembling exotic birds, palm trees swaying gently, frangipani trees dropping cream and yellow blooms that perfume the air with their heady sweetness.
The outdoor seating area is particularly appealing, especially during Chinese New Year when the weather tends toward warm and breezy. Tables are set under large white umbrellas or the dappled shade of trees, their surfaces painted in cheerful hues: mint green, butter yellow, sky blue. Mismatched chairs in various pastel shades add to the relaxed, garden party atmosphere. The interior continues the whimsical theme with exposed brick walls painted white, hanging plants in macrame holders, vintage wooden furniture, and large windows that blur the boundary between inside and outside.
The pet-friendly policy means dogs of all sizes roam freely, adding to the casual, weekend vibe. Water bowls in ceramic dishes dot the space, while staff members stop to greet four-legged patrons with genuine affection. The atmosphere is decidedly relaxed and family-friendly, with children running through the gardens while parents linger over brunch and coffee.
Signature Dishes Analysis:
The eggs Benedict here represents the comfort food genre executed with care and creativity. The base is a toasted English muffin, split and grilled until the cut surfaces achieve a golden-brown char, providing textural contrast between the crispy grilled face and the softer outer crust. The muffin’s color ranges from pale tan on the exterior to deeper gold where it’s been buttered and toasted, with darker brown grill marks creating visual interest.
Layered atop the muffin base might be wilted spinach, its leaves collapsed and dark green, seasoned with butter and garlic, providing an earthy, slightly bitter foundation. Alternatively, smoked salmon offers coral-pink luxury, the fish sliced thin with fine white striations of fat, its texture silky and yielding, flavor smoky and saline. Bacon, if chosen, arrives in thick-cut strips, the edges crisped to deep mahogany while the center retains some chew, the fat rendered translucent and golden.
The poached egg sits atop like a glossy dome, its white cooked to opaque ivory with slight ripples and folds from the poaching process, while the yolk remains liquid gold within. Breaking the surface with a fork releases a slow flow of yolk in brilliant saffron-yellow, its texture luxuriously creamy and rich, coating everything it touches in liquid sunshine. The temperature is perfect, hot but not scalding, the yolk’s consistency neither too runny nor beginning to solidify.
Hollandaise sauce is drizzled generously over the entire composition, its pale yellow hue similar to but lighter than the egg yolk, its texture thick and creamy, emulsified to silky perfection. The flavor is intensely buttery with lemony brightness cutting through the richness, each spoonful coating the palate in decadent fat that’s balanced by the acid. When everything comes together in a single bite, the textural journey moves from crispy muffin to tender greens or silky salmon to molten egg yolk to creamy hollandaise, all working in harmony.
The soft-shell chilli crab linguine represents the kind of fusion that works when executed thoughtfully. The pasta arrives twirled in a wide, shallow bowl, the long strands of linguine coated in a sauce that glows sunset orange-red, thick with chili, tomato, and crab essence. The pasta texture is al dente, with proper resistance at the center of each strand, the exterior cooked through and rough enough to hold sauce effectively. The color is pale gold where sauce hasn’t penetrated, deeper orange where it has.
Perched atop the pasta nest is the soft-shell crab, flash-fried until the exterior achieves a crispy, golden-brown shell that shatters at first bite. The crab itself, having recently molted, has a body that’s entirely edible, requiring no shell removal. The texture is unique: crispy outside giving way to tender, sweet crab meat inside, the legs providing additional crunch while the body is softer. Bits of crispy batter break off and mix with the pasta, adding pops of crunch throughout.
The sauce itself is a study in balancing Singaporean and Italian flavors. Tomatoes provide sweet-tart base notes in red hues, while chili paste adds heat that builds gradually, not overwhelming but definitely present. Garlic and ginger provide aromatic backbone, while crab stock and possibly crab roe create the characteristic sweetness and umami depth of chilli crab. Butter enriches everything, creating a sauce that’s simultaneously light enough to coat pasta without feeling heavy yet rich enough to satisfy. Fresh Thai basil leaves, torn and scattered over the top, provide hits of anise-like freshness in deep green, while red chilies sliced into rings add visual appeal and optional extra heat.
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NORTH REGION
ELEMEN – Woodlands Height
Ambience:
Elemen at Woodlands Height represents the new wave of plant-based dining that eschews the dated health-food aesthetic in favor of modern, appealing design. The restaurant interior embraces natural materials and a calming color palette: blonde wood tables and chairs, white walls adorned with botanical prints in simple frames, and accents in sage green and terracotta that evoke earth and growth. Hanging plants cascade from macrame holders, their trailing vines creating green curtains that soften the space, while potted herbs on windowsills add both visual interest and aromatic dimension.
Lighting is bright and natural during the day, with large windows allowing sunlight to stream in, creating moving patterns on the floor as shadows shift with the sun’s position. In the evening, warm-toned pendant lights in rice paper or bamboo shades create intimate pools of light over each table. The atmosphere is peaceful and contemplative, attracting health-conscious diners, vegetarians, and those simply seeking lighter options during the typically heavy-eating festive period.
The service style is casual and friendly, with staff clearly knowledgeable about ingredients and preparation methods, ready to discuss the benefits of plant-based eating without proselytizing. The message here is inclusive: plant-based food can be delicious and satisfying, not just virtuous.
Signature Dishes Analysis:
The brown rice with quinoa forms the foundation of many meals here, arriving in a bowl where the grains create a landscape of varied browns and creams. The brown rice maintains its individual grain structure, each kernel separate and distinct with a nutty, slightly chewy texture that requires proper mastication. The outer bran layers provide subtle resistance, while the interior is tender and starchy. Quinoa adds textural and nutritional variety, the tiny grains forming clusters in shades of ivory and tan, their texture slightly crunchy with that characteristic “pop” when bitten.
Mixed through this grain base might be seasonal vegetables that add color and nutrient density: edamame beans in bright green, their texture firm-tender with a slight squeak against the teeth, flavor subtly sweet and grassy. Corn kernels contribute sunshine yellow and bursts of sweetness. Cherry tomatoes, perhaps roasted until their skins split, provide ruby red jewels with concentrated sweet-tart flavor. Roasted pumpkin or sweet potato might add sunset orange chunks, their texture creamy and yielding, flavor naturally sweet and earthy.
The seaweed tempura tofu roll showcases the kitchen’s creativity with plant proteins. Firm tofu, pressed to remove excess moisture, is cut into batons with clean, straight edges. The tofu itself is pure white to cream-colored, its texture dense and compact with a mild, slightly sweet bean flavor. Before battering, it might be marinated in soy sauce or other seasonings, adding golden-brown color to the exterior.
The tempura batter, when expertly executed, creates a coating in pale gold with darker amber spots where the batter has bubbled and crisped. The texture is light and crispy, shattering easily to reveal the tender tofu within. Nori seaweed sheets, cut into strips, are wrapped around the tofu before battering, their dark green-black color visible between the coating and the tofu. The seaweed provides oceanic umami and slight chewiness that contrasts beautifully with the crispy batter and soft tofu.
These rolls might be arranged on a plate with artistic precision, drizzled with a sauce in dark brown (perhaps teriyaki or soy-based) and garnished with sesame seeds in black and white, their tiny forms adding visual interest and nutty flavor. Pickled ginger in pale pink provides palate-cleansing acidity, while wasabi in bright green offers optional nasal-clearing heat.
The blue flower tofu represents modern plant-based cuisine at its most Instagram-worthy. The tofu itself is colored a pale, dreamy blue-purple through the use of butterfly pea flower extract, a natural colorant that creates shades ranging from periwinkle to lavender. The hue is unexpected and almost fantastical, making diners pause before the first bite. The tofu texture is silken and smooth, barely holding its shape, quivering slightly when moved. It melts on the tongue almost instantly, releasing subtle sweetness and the mild, clean flavor of soy.
This delicate protein might be served in a clear broth or light sauce that doesn’t obscure its remarkable color, perhaps with mushrooms in various earthy browns providing flavor contrast, and vegetables in greens and oranges creating a painter’s palette on the plate. The overall effect is ethereal and artistic, proof that plant-based food can engage all the senses including sight.
The braised tai lok mee showcases how traditional Chinese comfort food can be reimagined without animal products. The noodles themselves are thick, short strands in pale yellow-white, their texture substantial with good chew, neither too soft nor too firm. They’re coated in a dark brown sauce, thick and glossy, that clings to every surface. This sauce, despite containing no meat, achieves deep umami through the use of mushrooms, soy sauce, vegetable stock, and probably some form of fermented bean paste.
Mock meats might make an appearance: textured vegetable protein shaped and flavored to resemble chicken or pork, their texture fibrous and chewy, color tan to brown depending on preparation. While not identical to meat, these proteins provide satisfying texture and absorb flavors beautifully. Vegetables like bok choy add jade green leaves that wilt into the noodles, carrots contribute orange matchsticks with slight crunch, and wood ear mushrooms provide dark brown-black pieces with a distinctive crunchy-slippery texture that’s uniquely appealing.
The dish arrives steaming hot, the aroma rich and savory despite the absence of animal products, proving that plant-based cuisine has evolved far beyond simple salads and can deliver the comfort and satisfaction traditionally associated with meat-centric dishes.
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WEST REGION
COEXIST COFFEE CO. – Hillview
Ambience:
Coexist Coffee Co. occupies a rooftop location in an old industrial building at Hillview, offering one of Singapore’s most unexpected dining settings. Accessing the café requires riding a freight elevator that opens directly into the space, immediately signaling that this is somewhere special. The rooftop has been transformed into an urban garden oasis, with exposed concrete softened by potted plants in various sizes, from small succulents to large tropical specimens.
The color palette is industrial chic: raw concrete in various shades of grey, black steel structural elements, white walls where interior sections exist, and pops of green from abundant plant life. Furniture is an eclectic mix of wooden tables in natural finish, metal chairs in matte black, and cushions in rust orange and forest green. String lights overhead create a magical atmosphere as evening falls, their warm white glow reflecting off glass surfaces and metal fixtures.
The views are spectacular, taking in the surrounding greenery of the Bukit Timah nature reserve in one direction and glimpses of the city skyline in another. During Chinese New Year, when the weather is typically warm with occasional breezes, the rooftop setting is particularly appealing, offering open-air dining without the claustrophobic feeling of being at ground level in a crowded shopping district.
The vibe is decidedly hipster and artistic, attracting a younger crowd and those seeking Instagram-worthy settings. The coffee program is serious, with various brewing methods on display: pour-over stations with copper kettles, espresso machines gleaming in chrome, cold brew towers slowly dripping into carafes. The aroma of freshly roasted coffee beans permeates everything.
Signature Dishes Analysis:
The herbal chicken with couscous represents the kind of thoughtful fusion that defines Coexist’s menu. The chicken arrives as a breast or thigh portion, the skin rendered golden-brown with areas of deeper amber where Maillard reactions have created the most flavor. The surface might be scattered with visible herbs: dried rosemary in dark green needles, thyme in tiny leaves, perhaps some Chinese medicinal herbs like dang gui or wolfberries creating specks of rust-red.
The meat beneath the skin is cooked through but remains juicy, its color ranging from white at the thickest part to golden-tan near the surface. The texture is tender and moist, each fiber separating cleanly when cut, the meat pulling away from the bone easily if using thigh portions. The herbal flavor profile is complex, neither purely Western nor entirely Chinese, but a harmonious marriage of aromatic traditions.
Couscous forms the base, these tiny granules of pasta in pale ivory with golden undertones, their texture fluffy and light, individual grains separate yet cohesive. The couscous has been prepared with care, possibly steamed rather than simply soaked, creating a texture that’s tender throughout without any raw, hard centers. Mixed through might be dried fruits like cranberries or apricots, adding chewy pockets of sweetness in red and orange, along with toasted nuts like almonds or cashews contributing cream and tan colors plus crunchy contrast.
The dish is finished with a pan sauce or reduction, perhaps incorporating the chicken’s cooking juices along with herbal stock, creating a liquid component in shades of amber to caramel that ties everything together. Fresh herbs scattered over the top, cilantro in bright green or mint in slightly darker tones, add aromatic freshness and visual appeal.
The assam barramundi on orzo pasta showcases how Singaporean flavors can elevate Italian ingredients. The barramundi arrives as a generous fillet, the skin crisped to deep golden-brown, almost mahogany where it’s most caramelized. The flesh beneath is opaque white with that characteristic flaky texture, each segment separating into thick, moist pieces that maintain their integrity. The fish has been cooked to the point where it just turns from translucent to opaque, no further, ensuring maximum moisture and tenderness.
The assam sauce, traditional to Peranakan cooking, pools around the fish in a thick, rust-orange to brown liquid, its surface glistening with oil rendered from the fish and added during cooking. This sauce achieves perfect balance between sour and savory, the tamarind providing mouth-puckering acidity that’s tempered by palm sugar sweetness and salt. Visible in the sauce are pieces of tomato that have broken down to soft red, shallots that have turned translucent tan, and perhaps okra or eggplant contributing purple and green hues, their textures tender from braising.
Orzo pasta, those rice-shaped pasta granules in pale yellow-white, forms a bed beneath the fish, each piece coated in the assam sauce, turning from its natural ivory to a rusty orange-brown. The pasta texture is al dente, maintaining proper resistance at the center while cooked through, providing a neutral base that soaks up the bold flavors of the sauce. The combination of Italian pasta with Singaporean sauce is unexpected yet successful, the acid in the assam cutting through any heaviness from the pasta while the carbs provide satisfying substance.
The squid ink fried rice demonstrates the kitchen’s ability to create visually striking dishes that deliver on flavor. The rice arrives as a mound of glossy black grains, the squid ink having dyed every grain a deep onyx with subtle blue-grey undertones visible in certain light. The effect is dramatic and slightly Gothic, the blackness of the rice making all other colors on the plate appear more vivid by contrast.
Each grain of rice is separate and distinct, coated in the ink but not clumping together, evidence of proper wok technique and temperature control. The texture is slightly chewy, characteristic of good fried rice, with some grains developing crispy, toasted sections from prolonged contact with the hot wok. The flavor is intensely savory and oceanic, the squid ink providing briny umami that permeates every bite.
Scattered through the black landscape are ingredients that provide color contrast: sweet corn kernels in sunshine yellow, edamame beans in bright green, perhaps chunks of squid in pure white ringed with purple where skin remains. The squid pieces are tender-firm with that characteristic bounce and chew. Scrambled egg might create golden-yellow ribbons throughout, adding richness and textural variety. Spring onions sliced into thin rounds contribute green to the monochrome palette, their flavor sharp and fresh.
The satay quesadilla exemplifies the playful fusion approach that makes Coexist appealing to adventurous diners. The quesadilla exterior is a flour tortilla grilled until golden-brown with darker brown grill marks creating striped patterns, the surface crispy in spots where cheese has leaked out and caramelized, creating lacy brown edges. The tortilla has achieved structural integrity through heat, becoming firm enough to hold its fillings while remaining pliable enough to bite through without everything falling apart.
Inside, the filling starts with the satay component: chicken or beef that’s been marinated in a spice paste including turmeric (lending yellow-gold color), lemongrass, galangal, and other aromatics, then grilled or pan-fried until the edges char. The meat is cut into small pieces, its color ranging from deep brown exterior to tan-pink interior if using beef, or golden-tan throughout if using chicken. The texture is tender with slight firmness from the marinade and cooking method.
Mixed with the satay meat is melted cheese, likely mozzarella or a blend that melts smoothly, creating white-to-cream colored strings that stretch when the quesadilla is pulled apart. The cheese provides creamy richness and binds the filling together. Vegetables might include sliced onions that have softened and turned translucent, bell peppers adding green or red color and slight crunch, and perhaps cucumber providing cool, watery contrast.
The crucial accompaniment is peanut sauce, that thick brown elixir that defines satay. Here it might be drizzled inside before grilling or served on the side for dipping. The sauce is smooth with a slight grainy texture from ground peanuts, its color ranging from tan to deep brown, consistency thick enough to coat yet pourable. The flavor profile balances nutty richness with sweetness from palm sugar, salt, and a hint of chili heat, creating addictive complexity.
When all elements come together in a bite, the experience is textural and flavor chaos in the best way: crispy tortilla yielding to melted cheese and spiced meat, the whole thing elevated by the nutty, sweet-savory peanut sauce, proving that fusion done right transcends cultural boundaries and creates something entirely new and delicious.
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CONCLUSION
These restaurants represent the diversity and creativity of Singapore’s dining scene during Chinese New Year 2026. From traditional Chinese preparations to Italian classics, from Japanese hotpot to Vietnamese street food, from plant-based innovation to fusion experiments, the options cater to every palate and preference. The common thread is quality execution, thoughtful flavor development, and attention to both visual and textural elements that make dining a multi-sensory experience.
Whether you seek the comfort of familiar flavors or the excitement of culinary adventure, whether you prefer intimate fine dining or casual family gatherings, these establishments remain open during the festive period, ensuring that your Chinese New Year celebrations include excellent food regardless of your location in Singapore.
The textures range from crispy to silky, from bouncy to melting, from crunchy to yielding. The hues span the entire spectrum: ruby reds and coral pinks, sunshine yellows and sunset oranges, emerald greens and jade, deep mahogany browns and pure whites, all creating visual feasts that enhance the anticipation before the first bite. The ambiences vary from hilltop serenity to industrial chic, from traditional Chinese elegance to retro Asian playfulness, each setting contributing to the overall dining experience.
Food is memory, culture, and connection. During Chinese New Year, when gathering with loved ones takes center stage, these restaurants provide the settings and sustenance for creating new memories while honoring traditions old and new.